Arkansas, nicknamed the Natural State, is known for the beauty of its outdoors, including picturesque waterfalls, cave systems, forests, rivers, and mountain ranges. One place that brings all of those natural elements together is Petit Jean State Park, the oldest of Arkansas’ 52 state parks.
The park, established by the Arkansas Legislature in 1923 and constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1933 to 1938, spans 2,800 acres and is situated atop Petit Jean Mountain. Its location in the north-central region of the state makes it an easy day trip from Little Rock and Conway, which are among the most populous cities in Arkansas. The park just celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023, and in recent years, about 800,000 people per year venture up the mountain for a visit.
Visitors to Petit Jean can get sweeping views of the Arkansas River Valley, hike to the 95-foot Cedar Falls, see Native American rock art that’s hundreds of years old, and eat classic Southern food at the historic Mather Lodge, among many other activities.
Petit Jean State Park is filled with history
When approaching Petit Jean State Park from the east, visitors will come upon a side road leading to the park’s most well-known overlook, Stout’s Point. From there, they can see the Arkansas River, as well as miles of forests and farmland. Travelers can also get a glimpse of a mound of earth that local legend says is the gravesite of Petit Jean, the purported namesake for Petit Jean Mountain. The tale goes that a young French woman disguised herself as a cabin boy on a ship headed to America in order to follow a man she loved. She was called Petit Jean, French for “Little John.” She eventually made it to Arkansas, but she died from illness and was buried on top of the mountain, according to the folklore…